Until recently, age discrimination attracted little social opprobrium. However, ageism has now been thrust onto the equality agenda by the spectre of an ageing population. This has led to a range of policies on 'active ageing.' Most importantly, legally binding legislation prohibiting age discrimination in employment will need to be in place by 2006. Remarkably little attention has been paid to the key issues. To what extent is age inevitably linked with declining capacity? What are the central aims of a policy on age equality, and how can these be realised in law? How should law and policy address age discrimination in health, education and employment? What lessons can be learned from the US and Europe? And should young people be dealt with in the same way as older people? This book answers these questions in a series of chapters by experts from a wide range of disciplines. It begins by examining the nature of the ageing process and then turns to a detailed analysis of the concept of age equality. In the light of this analysis, the following three chapters critically assess employment, education, and health. A separate chapter is devoted to discrimination against children. The last two chapters consider the experience in the US, and other European countries.

About the Author
Sandra Fredman is Professor of Law at Oxford University and Fellow of Exeter College Oxford. Sarah Spencer is Senior Associate at the Institute for Public Policy Research and a Commissioner on the Commission for Racial Equality.

Reviews
...the conceptual chapters have much to offer. For those who want to expand discussion of age discrimination beyond issues of mandatory retirement, this book offers ideas about what is possible, by suggesting areas where the equality debate needs to occur. Sheila M Neysmith, Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto Canadian Journal on Aging May 2005



Book Information
ISBN 9781841134055
Author Sandra Fredman
Format Hardback
Page Count 239
Imprint Hart Publishing
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 156mm * 19mm